Clare's Story

MY STORY

Teenaa koe/Hi there

This is to share a little more of who is behind the roles.

Ko wai au?/Who am I?

I originally come from Ootepoiti/Dunedin, New Zealand, the daughter of a Dutch immigrant father and multi-generational ‘Kiwi’ mother, whose ancestral ties go back to England and Ireland. I was brought up in a large family with faith, community, social justice and work values which influence who I am today.

I currently live in Kirikiriroa/Hamilton, in Aotearoa/ New Zealand and consider it my home.

I am (still) married, have two adult children, two cats, one e-bike that is well used, and a love of the outdoors. To a large degree I have embraced menopause- but it’s a drag to have to constantly navigate the body/mind changes. I love connecting through café stops, networking, having fun, dancing, singing and ‘going on adventures’.

What influences what I do?

It’s a love of learning for a start- especially curiosity about how people are and how they interact. This keeps me looking forward to client appointments and prioritizing professional and personal development.

It’s a desire to make a difference- to help make positive changes, to be part of a support team, to grow the good. This keeps me ever looking at what I am doing, what’s my impact, what can I change.

It is also the reason why I have grown my business beyond one-on-one sessions to student education, seminars, conference presenting and becoming an author: co-writing two chapters in PADA’s 2018 book “How are you? Really?”

It’s a passion for social justice-working for those whose voices have been silenced, promoting equity and equality. This gives me power to protest, to question, to identify with and walk alongside. I challenge myself with ongoing cultural supervision and Te Reo learning. I prioritise contracts that provide free mental-health support. I step out of my comfort zone to be in places where I am in the minority and my ways are not the norm.

It’s also faith- faith in myself, in God, in people, in communities. Faith gives me hope, optimism and greater levels of compassion, acceptance and belonging. It helps me not give up, to reach out for help, to be true to me.

Self-awareness is our superpower!

Beneath all of this it’s self-awareness of my own need for repair and healing that has kept me training, learning, growing and being effective. It takes courage to be willing to look inside, especially if the first or second therapist did more harm than good. I found that there were ‘layers’ to things in my life I thought were ‘done’. They got triggered as I navigated adult relationships, marriage, miscarriages, trauma and parenting. These layers can still come and go- they now provide a rich reservoir from which I can help myself and others.

I love my work.

It’s a privilege to ‘hold space’ for clients, to teach and learn, to author and co-create, to be and do. I acknowledge that the work of Mindcare Counselling & Training Ltd. is supported by friends, family and mentors- past and present.

I am still trying to practice what I preach by slowing down, checking in, working with compassion, and ‘good enough is good enough’.

Ngaa mihinui ki a koe/ Warm regards,

Clare